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R-E-L-A-X
Hypnosis, like any other skill, becomes easier the more
you do it. Allow yourself to practice this easy relaxation exercise. Don’t
worry if you don’t see vivid pictures. Just take whatever comes.
1. Find a comfortable place to sit or recline. Keep hands and feet
uncrossed. Be sure you are warm and cover with a light blanket if
necessary. Unplug the phone, send the kids to the park and allow yourself
15 minutes when you will be undisturbed.
2. Breathe in and out slowly and deeply as you focus on a spot on the
wall near the ceiling. Keep your head level so your eyes will roll upward.
3. With each breath, count backward from six to one. On the even
numbers your eyes will be open and on the odd numbers you will close your
eyes.
Six….inhale, eyes open
Five…exhale, eyes closed
Four…inhale, eyes open
Three…exhale, eyes closed
Two…inhale, eyes open
One…exhale, eyes closed
4. Your eyes will probably feel very heavy now. Continue breathing in a
slow and natural way as you focus inward, noticing the sensations of the
breaths as they move in and out of your body.
5. Keeping your eyes closed, mentally, focus on a spot at the top of
your head and imagine that those muscles of your scalp are melting,
relaxing, becoming loose and limp.
6. This relaxation moves down across your forehead, down your temples
and around the muscles of your eyes. Tell yourself that your eyelids have
become so relaxed that you feel as if they are sealed shut and if you
tried to open them you would find them so relaxed that the harder you
tried to open them, the more surely closed they would remain. And you know
that it is OK for them to remain that way until the end of the relaxation
exercise.
7. Continue to breathe and focus on the muscles in your shoulders,
neck, back, and spine mentally relaxing all these muscles and feeling all
tension leave with each and every breath. Each inhalation brings
relaxation, each exhalation releases tension.
8. Allow the relaxation to spread down your body all the way down to
the tips of your toes—a warm comforting feeling like sunshine moving
across the floor at an open window.
9. As you have relaxed your body, now relax your mind by seeing or
becoming aware of the number 100. Begin counting backward repeating the
words “deeper relaxed” after each number until your mind becomes so
relaxed that you forget to count and just sit or lie there enjoying the
feeling of peace for as long as you feel comfortable. Tell yourself that
each and every breath you take brings you deeper relaxed, each and every
sound you hear brings you deeper relaxed.
10. When you are ready to emerge from hypnosis, imagine yourself
counting from 1 to 5, each number bringing you more aware of the space
around you and more alert with each breath you take. At the count of 5
your eyes will open. As you emerge, notice how refreshed, alert and calm
you feel.
When you are in situations where you need instant relaxation, take a
deep breath in through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, then exhale
slowly through an open mouth. Do this at least three times. Do this
EVERYWHERE—at home, at work, in the car. It’s easier than you thought! |